DRP drags Sport into the National political spotlight.

Manager Hanim and “Maumoon 2008” continue to attract comment.

President Gayyoom kicked off his campaign with a grand claim that even the Maldives National Football Team was behind his rather suspect 7th bid for the Presidency. When the DRP Zaeem chose to openly abuse sports for his political survival, active members of all parties democratic took serious note.

Most agreed that Manager Hanim’s action clearly amounted to abuse of sport when he claimed his Gold Medal team backed incumbent President Gayyoom’s campaign. I believe it is not practical for sport to entangle itself in politics. It alienates fans.

In a valiant effort to wriggle out of this trap, someone raised the question of “individual right”.

The problem with "individual right" is that Manager Hanim does not have any in this instance! How would one justify that “individual right” can override the larger "collective right" of the FAM and the National Team.

The commentator conveniently ignore two basic facts to enable him to maintain this position.

Fact number one is that the team was introduced by the DRP as the National Football Team. Manager Hanim had no “individual right” to say what he pleased when displaying himself as the Manager of the National Team. He is bound by his associations statutes.

Finally, adding insult to injury, Manager Hanim clearly stated on record that the National Team was there to support President Gayyoom’s bid for power.

So now we know what the National Team was doing on the DRP Campaign stage!

The National Civil Service Commission has already taken swift action on finding out that Manager Hanim was also Civil Servant Hanim. They questioned CS Hanim’s actions and demoted him from his post of Director General to the post of a mere Director, quite a few rungs down the ladder!

Therefore it now appears that the hat fits. It is wrong for a civil servant to take a political stage.

Referring back to the comment in defense of Manager Hanim, what I am hearing now is a version that totally ignores that Manager Hanim ever indicated the National Team (FAM) backed the Candidate (DRP).

It is now claimed, Manager Hanim is supposed to have said this solely in his individual capacity! But where then does he get the right to represent the National Team or the FAM in his individual capacity?

FAM owns all rights to the Maldives National Football Team. Not Manager Hanim! He is not authorised to represent views contravening it's statutes. Article 3 - Neutrality and non-discrimination, clause 2 prohibits such comment. They are deemed "...prohibited and punishable by suspension or expulsion".

The FAM Executive Committee is therefore obliged to rule in favour of it's own statutes.

The FAM, FIFA and IOC Charter prohibits Manager Hanim's actions. These regulations severely prohibit national association ruling that it is acceptable for a National Team to support a Presidential bid representing a specific political party.

Manager Hanim cannot therefore make such a stark announcement without the express approval of the FAM Executive Committee. The new DRP version chose to override the FAM's right to neutrality. The issue has been “ sanitized” by the DRP spin machine and is now being promoted out of context.

The newly invented, supposedly “politically correct” version of the story plugged by “state media” is that Manager Hanim has the right to his belief (that the National Team should support President Gayyoom's bid for power).

Holding a belief, how bizarre it may be, is one thing, but going public with it is another. Fantasies may not be publicised!

There are internationally bound and nationally practiced codes of conduct that categorically prohibit such actions. I am sure Manager Hanim must be aware of these regulations.

So what is the consequence for a Sport Manager who abuse sport in cahoots with a political party?

The FAM Executive Committee decision on the issue will be a test of it's credibility. They appear to be on track so far. A statement condemning Manager Hanim's action was issued the next day. Will there be a credible reaction from the National Sports Council and or the Olympic Committee?

Unfortunately, while the DRP's "sanitized" version is being played out, the FAM surely will not be hoping that they could possibly forget this whole incident. There have been no further action since the 9th August statement The Civil Service Commission demonstrated better leadership.